Once upon a Time in High School
by Beagles002
Summary: What and how would Emma's life have been had her adopted mother not allowed her to be returned as an unwanted gift. Now Emma as a teenager has moved with her mom and step-dad to a quaint little town and her experience as she settles in. Rated T for some language
1. Chapter 1

Once upon a time – a young girl was starting her Junior year in high school at a new school. Her parents had moved her and her siblings to a small town away from the hustle and bustle of the big city.

Emma Swan knew one of the reasons they had moved and his name was Neal Cassidy. How had she let this older guy try to convince her to run away from a good home where she had two parents that adored her - Oh that's right she thought to herself – she was stupid. As Emma looked down at the paper schedule she had been handed and the map to her classes Emma walked slowly to the row of lockers and found the one she had been assigned. The school was very small as each class went from teacher to teacher. Her brother and sister were still in the middle school – so she wouldn't see them around, at least not right now – finding her locker had to be her first priority. Number thirteen – was this an omen? Was this going to be her sign that this was not going to be a good year for her? The hallways were quiet and she knew that she would be late getting to her first class. Her dad – really step dad had dropped her off late. What a way to start a new school. Opening her locker she hung her jacket up and set her lunch bag on the top shelf. She was familiar with the horrible school food and figured a simple packed lunch would be safest until she got more familiar. Just as Emma was closing her locker she saw two people coming down the hall - A boy who seemed completely uninterested in being in class on time and a young woman who seemed to be focused on getting to Emma first.

"Hi there," the young woman with dark brown hair spoke first, "I'm Regina Mills; I meant to meet up with you before class started, but…"

Emma looked at the other student and put on her best smile, "I'm sorry…"

"Don't worry, I'm here to get you from class to class, not that you'll have much of a problem – it's not like there are hundreds of students here at Storybrooke."

"Okay," Emma looked over the woman's shoulder at the other student who was leaning against some lockers. "Who's that?"

"Huh?" turning around, "Oh that is Killian Jones, he's a bit of loner, totally hot though, shame he's the Captain of the soccer team, he has absolutely no people skills."

Emma tried to get a better look at the young man, but was quickly detoured to her first class. Just as Regina opened the door to the classroom, Emma saw the young man move to where her locker was and open the one next to it.

English turned out to be a fun class Emma decided. The teacher was very easy to follow and he seemed to make the entire class enjoy writing papers and discussing the traditional boring classic literature. As she was given her books Emma saw Killian slip in the classroom un-noticed and take a seat close to the door. The last thing Emma needed was to get fixated on another boy – but what could she do, looking around the class it seemed like there was a definite female to male ratio with females in the lead. Emma scrawled some notes in her notebook and soon the bell rang.

As Emma stood up, Regina suddenly appeared at her side and gave her a kind smile, "you ready for science?"

"Not really."

"Oh you'll like our teacher, he is amazing. I swear he has like magic or something."

Emma gave her a pressed lip smile and followed her out. It seemed that she had been with her entire class as she went to sit down in the back of the classroom at an open lab chair. As the professor walked in, Emma looked up and was stunned by the professor's handsome face. He was probably her parents age, maybe older she thought but he had the nicest smile and the accent. Damn what was up with accents? She became so focused on trying to determine where he was from she paid little attention to the person sitting next to her until they were told to work with their partners and to combine chemicals to see the reactions of the provided samples. Turning slowly in her stool she finally saw the dark haired young man sitting next to her.

"Hi," she croaked out. Oh crap her mind thought, was she having a problem or what? Okay yeah she was a little boy crazy, but this was crazy.

"Hi," he responded as he lit the Bunsen burner. The young man pulled the chemicals towards the middle and picked up an empty glass tube. "Do you want to write down the results or would you rather perform the experiment?"

Holy crap crap crap! This one has an accent too? She's been in love with European accents for as long as she could remember – okay it didn't help that she and her mom had watched Masterpiece Theater all the time, or that her favorite actors were always British, Irish, and Scottish, oh my God he sounded kind of like Pierce Bronson? Swallowing and biting her lip, "uh yeah I'll just um, yeah."

"By the way, I'm Killian, Killian Jones."

F-U-C-K. He sounded like James Bond. Double crap. How was she supposed to survive a school where she listened to a teacher sounding like Sean Connery and a classmate with a sexy voice? She was just going to tell her parents that she couldn't promise not to get in trouble because trouble was following her around with a foreign accent.

Emma watched Killian perform the experiment. He seemed so at ease with the beakers and the test tubes. She wrote down the results carefully and when Mr. Gold came to ask how things were going, she couldn't help that she practically jumped out of her skin. His voice was so smooth and why did he remind her of that TV show she and her Mom watched on BBC America – oh what was that called – damn it, her mind was mush. Wait until she got home, her Mom would understand everything.

Killian looked at Emma oddly then back at the teacher and nodded, "yeah I think we are getting the correct reactions sir, by the way, this is the new student."

Emma looked at Killian and wondered why he hadn't given her name, but then remembered that she hadn't told him hers. "Emma Swan."

"Well Miss Swan I hope you will enjoy your final two years here. I believe your parents bought the Malperdy mansion."

Emma was shocked that anybody would realize that they had even moved into the town. "Uh yeah, we still haven't gotten completely unpacked, and the house is really old, but it was being updated when my parents decided to move."

Killian seemed interested as well, "I heard that place has a series of tunnels running beneath it."

"You are correct Mr. Jones, I recall as a young man myself venturing through the tunnels, but of course back then I had a friend living in the house, Reynard Fox…"

Emma perked up at that. "My dad's name is Reynard Fox."

Both Killian and Mr. Gold stopped and looked at Emma. Finally Killian spoke up, "but your surname is Swan."

Emma shook her head, "yeah, I'm from my Mom's previous marriage." She didn't feel they needed to know that she'd been adopted as well.

Both of the men seemed to understand and Mr. Gold moved to the next table.

"So what do you think of this little town?"

Emma looked up at Killian she suddenly was caught by his blue eyes. Blast – she was going to be in so much trouble, and then she looked at his lips and crap again; he had nice full lips that were a warm pink shade. No top thin lip guy here. Okay answer his question and do not check out his body. "It's small."

He smiled at her, "small is an understatement. There isn't much around to do, but if you'd like I can take you out and show you around."

Emma saw the smile, felt her heart stop and then she looked at him from top to bottom, dark sexy unruly hair – wonder if it felt as silky as it looked; dark brows, beautiful eyes, delicious lips and definitely a 5 o'clock shadow that just screamed to be touched; he had on a dark gray t-shirt that seemed to cling to his body, and showed off a hard well-toned torso and down to a pair of Levi's that were probably painted on because there was no way that 550's looked that good on most guys – and finally the piece de resistance he had the most incredible butt – the kind that girls drooled over and wanted to grab. She was doomed and on top of that he was offering to take her out. "um, like a date?"

"Sure if you want to call it that. I'll buy you an ice cream if you're good," and he gave her a wicked grin.

Emma just felt her heart contract and finally pump again. Yep she was dead. She didn't care, but she knew she'd end up kissing those lips and she'd be a goner. Her dad would kill him and her, and she didn't care. Oh my God she bit her lip and turned back to the paper she was recording everything on.

By the end of the day, Emma felt exhausted. She'd gotten through all of her classes, had lunch met all of her classmates and had a date for the coming Friday night. Killian had even put his cell number in her phone along with a picture and marked her calendar from 7:00 till who knows for their date. This was the most amazing day she had ever had. She could hardly wait to get home and talk to her Mom and Dad and tell them all about it.


	2. Chapter 2

When Emma got home that afternoon she walked in dropped her purse and bag in the foyer and went directly into the kitchen. Opening the fridge and getting out the milk she poured a glass full and grabbed two fresh chocolate chip cookies her mom had just set on the cooling rack. Plopping down on one of the bar stools she looks at her mom who is scooping cookie dough onto a cooled cookie sheet.

"So honey," not looking up, "how was your day?"

"Well let's see I'd say about 50% of the students all talk with English accents."

Looking up with a frown, "what?"

"Yeah and I have this teacher who I swear mom looks like that guy from the BBC TV show we use to watch."

"Which show?"

"The one about the Scottish police guy"

"Hamish Macbeth?"

"Uh, yeah, and on top of that I have this gorgeous guy who sits next to me."

Her mom smiles, "are we smitten already?"

"Mom he has this Irish accent and these incredible blue eyes that are sinful."

"I'm sure that you are just overwhelmed by all the new…"

"Mom, I admit that what happened back in Chicago was stupid, and Dad took care of it, but oh my God, I'm surrounded by all these accents and come on look at you – you married a guy with a French accent. You even said it was one of your weaknesses."

Her mom turns and sits down next to her daughter, "so what is the young man's name?"

"Killian, Killian Jones."

"Did he say it like that?"

"Yes, and he sounds like a cross between Peter O'Toole and Liam Neeson."

"Oh. Well and he has pretty blue eyes?"

"His eyes are so blue they make the sky jealous. Everything about him screams trouble with a capital T and I just want to jump right in."

"So, what are you going to do?"

"Well, all I know is he asked me out on a date for Friday."

Emma's mom jumps up and she and her daughter start jumping up and down holding each other's hands. The squealing draws Reynard into the kitchen to see what is going on.

"Annie, Emma, is everything okay?"

Annie stops jumping up and down and tries to stop the smile on her face, "Rey, Emma has a date on Friday night, with a classmate."

Reynard looks at both women and finally lets a smile out, "well someone your own age is acceptable, and so how was your first day of classes?"

Emma sat back down and took a drink of milk, "well the Chemistry teacher implied he might know you. He's the Hamish Macbeth one."

Reynard looks confused at his wife, and then asks, "What's his name?"

"Mr. Gold. He didn't give out his first name."

"I wonder if that is Robert Gold. He and I use to get into all sorts of trouble as kids. You know he use to come up here and we went exploring through…" Reynard stops as he notices his wife and step-daughter are giving him a bored look, "well I'll have to give him a ring and have him up for dinner."

"Good, then Mom can ogle over him as well."

Annie finally pipes up, "Em, you know I'd never do that, at least not in front of your dad," as she goes to her husband for a kiss.

The next few days of school go quickly as Emma goes from class to class learning her class-mates names and making her own friends of the students she is getting to know. Emma decides not to take on cheerleading or join the play production. Instead she focuses on her grades and not getting into trouble. Easier said than done as each day leads closer to Friday, and she suddenly finds herself seeing Killian in every class except for Drivers Ed.

Killian has the locker next to hers and seems to always be waiting for her to return to drop off books or to go to lunch. As she doesn't know too many people she eats lunch alone for the first day and then Regina insists she eat with her and her friends and soon Killian is sitting next to her checking out her lunch and stealing her cookies or a sip of her water.

"You buy your lunch, yet you still seem to want to eat mine?"

"Love, you have no idea how delicious your lunch looks."

Emma watches Killian as he gives her his signature smile with lifted brow. She knows that she will be absolutely powerless to his charms if he gets her alone, "so are we meeting up with anybody on Friday?"

He looks at her strangely and focuses on his food, "I prefer not to have the interruptions of others when I give you a tour of our fair city."

Emma has to laugh, "City, really? Um, do you know where I live?"

"Everybody knows where you live. By the way, "as he steels her cookies, "who makes these delicious cookies?"

"My mom does. Why do you like them?"

"I wonder if they are as sweet as you are."

"Oh my God, do you actually use that line?"

Tilting his head a little, "I try. Plus I'm looking forward to Friday."


	3. Chapter 3

Friday flies by and Emma goes home and immediately runs up to her bedroom to rummage through her closet to look for something to wear. Jeans and t-shirt just didn't sound right. She wanted to look nice but not over the top. The weather was warm but it cooled off a lot at night so she didn't want to put on a sun dress only to freeze. Getting frustrated she grabs a pair of slim crop pants a white blouse and a navy cardigan. Yeah it would be casual but wasn't she supposed to look comfortable, it wasn't like he was taking her on a dinner date or anything fancy.

Within minutes Emma has showered, changed and is putting on her make-up as her sister Bethany comes in to watch. Emma does the last touches of mascara and runs her fingers through her blonde hair. She scrunches and gets a tamed wild look about it and smiles at her reflection and her little sister that is watching. "So how do I look?"

"You look nice. There are lots of boys in my school that are cute, but I don't think Daddy would let me go out to the movies with any of them."

"Beth, you are barely 12 years old. I'll be surprised if I succeed in getting to go out on my date, and look at how old I am."

The doorbell rings and both girls look at each other, and Emma grabs her sweater and throws it on. She adjusts it in the mirror and slips her feet into her white canvas deck shoes. Emma counts to ten and walks slowly down the steps to see Killian talking to her Dad and Mom. Reynard looks up at Emma and smiles. Annie is busy talking to Killian and smiling, obviously she too is smitten by the handsome young man.

"Well Killian, I don't want Emma home too late, say no later than one."

Killian shakes the man's hand and nods. "Of course sir, I doubt we'll find enough to entertain Emma for that long."

Once the two are outside Killian holds the door open of his black Challenger. "It was nice to finally put a face to your parents," he tells her as he closes the door and gets in on the other side. "You look a lot like your dad though."

Emma smiles, "I wish that was true."

Killian gives her a confused look until he remembers, "oh that's right you are from your Mom's first marriage."

"Uh, yeah."

Killian drives Emma around, he shows her the only church, the only diner, the only hospital, the only Vet clinic, the only bar and the rest of the only's. He finally pulls into the only park that overlooks the town and pulls to a stop. "Do you want to get out and look at the stars?"

As they get out, Killian pulls out a large blanket and the two stretches it out on the ground and then lies down to look up at the stars.

"So Emma Swan Fox tell me your life story and all the dirty secrets," as he leans up on one arm and looks at her.

Emma can feel his breath on her cheek and swallows hard, "I'm not usually one to share all my secrets to somebody I barely know."

"Oh, but you will get to know me," as he leans over her and whispers against her lips.

"You shouldn't do that?"

"Why not?"

"Because you know how handsome you are, you know that girls fall all over themselves about you, and I'm just…"

"You Emma are far from any of the girls at school."

"You are a bloody flirt."

Killian falls away onto the blanket and begins laughing, "And where have you heard such language?"

Emma sits up and pouts, "I watch BBC and I've seen 4 wedding and a funeral to know enough…"

Killian sits up quickly and kisses Emma and pulls away before she can react. "So tell me about you? I want to know more about you."

Emma touches her lips and thinks, blast that was quick and it was soft and fast, and such a tease she thought to herself. "Well let's see, I uh," she pauses to think what all she wants to tell him. "My mom and my dad…"

"Biological parents?"

Stopping to look at him, "well my parents got divorced when I was three and my brother was born shortly after. Mom met Reynard and that is the end of the story."

"You're conveniently leaving out a lot of stuff Swan."

Emma pulled away, "I'm adopted, my adopted dad didn't want me when Mom found out she was pregnant. He tried to return me to the orphanage, and my mom filed a child abduction report against him. He got mad and beat her up and for a while I was left at the children's home until she got out of the hospital. Then she and I moved to Chicago, she got her divorce and we lived with Grandma and Grandpa. Jake never paid child support for me or my brother Paul, so when Mom got the job at the law firm they constantly were having him served, but then Mom met Rey and before any of us knew it, they were engaged, and we all became a big family. Rey had an apartment in one of the high rises in downtown Chicago, so we all moved in there. Mom got pregnant with Bethany and Rey filed to adopt Paul and me. Since Jake hadn't paid child support he was happy to get the complaints off his back and everything worked out happily ever after."

Killian watched her with his eyes. They softened when she told him about her mom getting beaten up. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean…"

"Look, I'm the only one who still goes by Swan in my family. In fact Mom goes by Annie Swan-Fox just so there is never a question about me, but it's just something I don't share with people all that much. You know people tend to think the orphan kid has something wrong with them."

"No, I've never heard of that. There are lots of kids around whose parents are worthless. Look at Ruby, she lives with her Grandma and doesn't have a clue where her mum is."

Emma smiles at him and looks back up at the stars, "Okay so I've shared my big life story, you share one with me."

Killian rolls to his side again to look at Emma, "my Dad is an engineer and got this brilliant idea to move his family from Cork to the United States. Mum is a nurse, so she had an easy time finding work, and when Dad's job ended with the American Government instead of moving us back to Ireland he left and went to Marseille and divorced Mum. That was about ten years ago. Mum is the head nurse of the hospital here and raised me and my brother Liam on her own."

"Wow, so I'm not the only one with a little drama in their background."

"No, you'd be surprised to find out that the majority of us have some horrible story. Nobody seems to have a fairy tale life."

"So is your brother younger or older?"

"Liam is four years older than I and is currently serving in the US Navy. He actually got a commission as a naval officer and is going to the US naval Academy."

Emma looks at him with a smile, "you must be proud?"

"Yeah, I think I'll probably follow in his footsteps. He's got school paid for and will make a career out of it, so…" he glances at her and bends down to brush her lips again.

Emma is prepared this time and has her hands up to stop him, "are you going to kiss me?"

"Yes."

"Shouldn't you ask first instead of stealing kisses?"

With a broad grin and a perked eyebrow, "may I kiss you Emma?"

Swallowing hard, "okay, but don't go telling all your friends that…"

"Love, I don't kiss and tell," as he bends down and softly brushes her lips with his own.

Emma lets her fingers race up over his shoulders as he kisses her slowly. He seems hesitant to push the kiss any further until Emma opens her mouth and lets her tongue run along his lips. With the invitation he quickly deepens the kiss and for the next hour they spend kissing each other madly and passionately to slow and lingering. As she lays on the ground with him hovering over her, she knows that she would be melting if she had been standing up. Instead she lets her fingers move into his hair and just as she expected his dark hair feels like silk. Every part of her body is well aware that this handsome young man is kissing her and where this could all lead. Letting her mind come back, she takes a breath and looks at her watch, 12:45

"Oh crap, we got to go."

"But I was just…"

"Look, think of this as my carriage will turn to a pumpkin if we don't get me back home because my Dad will not only kill you he will ground me till I'm 25."

The two stand up and grab up the blanket and race to the car. Killian flings the blanket in the back and starts the engine. Soon he guns the car down the hill and races to her home. "12:55, you're not late," as he opens her car door and walks her to the door. "I'd like to see you again, maybe tomorrow night, there is a party at Regina's, and we could go together."

Emma looks thoughtful, "I'll have to see what is going on here, but can I text you?"

"Yes, if you promise me a kiss good night."

Emma laughs and rolls her eyes, she moves closer to him and soon feels his arms wrap around her as he pulls her closer for a kiss. "Good night Killian," she whispers against his lips before letting them connect with his.

Killian's eyes are still closed when he feels her pull away and walk into the house. He looks up at the windows and sees lights flip on as he walks to his car. Soon he sees the window curtains move and Emma waving at him. Now he knows where her room is and sees the large tree that conveniently has a strong limb going towards her window.


	4. Chapter 4

Emma laid in her bed unable to sleep. She had seen Killian looking up at her when she got to her room and suddenly she was fantasizing about him climbing up a tree to sneak into her room. She wouldn't mind spending hours in Killian's arm kissing and whispering to each other. Wow – she had never felt like this with a guy. Okay Neal was a sort of crush. She really couldn't even consider it that after the fact that he had tried to convince her to run away from home in his dingy crappy car. They had gotten as far Gary when the state police had set up a road block and arrested him.

Thinking back to how she met Neal at an internet café, he "bumped" into her and made her spill her coffee. He'd been so nice and bought her a new one. They had started emailing and meeting up at the café to talk. Then he convinced her to sneak out of the apartment and meet him at night. He'd been the first man to kiss her, and looking back Emma began to analyze his kiss. Neal was wet, sloppy and demanding. Killian was gentle and patient. Neal had suggested they go to a hotel. Emma had said no and things slowed down for a week, but he pressured her again – even suggesting they could go on a crime spree. That was not an option in her mind. The final straw was when he came to her school and during lunch he grabbed her and shoved her in the car and started driving. Emma had sent a 911 from her phone to her dad, and she knew that he'd find her. She had tried to convince him that this was a mistake but he swore that they were true loves and were meant to be together. As the police tasered him and yanked him out of the volkswagon, Emma was being sheltered by a female state patrol. Even in handcuffs he yelled that he loved her and would find her.

At the trial – he was charged with multiple crimes from kidnapping, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and heroin, interstate transport of a minor, fraud, larceny, assault, fraud, and a weapons offense. Neal's lawyer tried to get him to plea out, but he kept telling the judge that it was her fault, that he thought she was of age, that she was the one who had the drugs and gun, that she was a spoiled princess who wanted a taste of the wild side. It didn't work Emma was there for the sentencing. He had already had two minor offenses, and this would be the third. He got twenty to thirty years – which sent him into a massive rage and he lunged over the railing to get at her. Rey finally got to punch Neal in the face knocking him out cold and the deputies picked up his unconscious body and took him back to the lock up.

It was after all that drama that her parents decided that they would move. Rey had always talked about his childhood home and how it would be a great place for kids to grow up. Even if for Emma it would only be a couple of years. The house was beautiful and spacious. The rooms were huge and there was no longer any arguments about bathrooms or people being in each others space.

Tired Emma rolled over and began to dream about Killian snuggled next to her with his arms wrapped around her.

The next morning Emma found her Mom busy in the kitchen writing out several grocery lists.

"Are we having a party or something?"

"Uh, no, but your Dad invited some old friends over for dinner tonight. I'd really appreciate it if you could set up the dining room for nine or ten. You didn't have plans tonight did you?"

"Um, not really, but I was thinking…"

"Oh how was your date? He's very cute."

Emma smiled at her mom as she went to the cupboard and got a coffee cup and poured herself a cup from the coffeemaker. "We had a nice time, and he's really easy to talk to and look at," she told her with a grin.

"Em, if there had been boys like that when I was your age your Grandfather would have sent me to the convent."

"And the voice, did you catch the accent?"

"Oh my God, I know. I swear it's like listening to angels," as she fans herself. "Good thing I'm married," she teases.

"He did say he wants to see me again, and said there is a party tonight, but I told him I had to find out what was happening here."

Annie frowns, "honey, if you want to go to a party, we understand."

"But I don't want Dad to be upset, I mean he might think…"

"Don't worry about him, so did you kiss him?"

Emma blushes, "Mom, what kind of…"

"Stop it Em, you know good and well that…"

"Yes I kissed him."

"You kissed who?" a deep voice says coming into the kitchen.

Emma looks up at Rey and drops her head, "Killian."

"He seems like a nice enough chap. At least he isn't afraid to meet your parents, and I doubt he has an extensive criminal history."

Emma moans, "come on dad, I thought we agreed to put that nightmare behind us. Anyway Mom says you are having some old friends come by. Anyone I know?"

Rey ruffles Emma's hair in a parental way and opens up a box of donuts and eats one, "actually you might. Robert Gold, Cora Mills and Albert Spencer – Robert and I have known each other forever and Cora was an old girlfriend and well Spencer is just politics. Don't worry, you won't have to suffer too long through it all."

"Actually, Rey, Emma has a party she was invited to, and I said it was okay for her to go. After all, she doesn't want to sit in on a dinner with one of her teachers."

Rey looks between his wife and daughter, "oh yeah, no problem. Just don't be out too late."

Emma gives both parents a tight lip smile and leaves the room to text Killian.

_Killian, I had a great time last night I hope your offer to go to the party is still on._

Within a few minutes she gets a text back

_I dreamt of you all night, can't wait to see you. Do you want to catch something for dinner?_

_Yes. _

Emma puts her phone down and flops down on the bed.


End file.
